Dark moon ritual - Yoga Nidra meditation & Relaxation class online
5th June - 8:30-9:15PM GMT 9:30-10:15PM CET 3:30-4:15PM EST
Let go, relax & replenish your energy
The Dark Moon Ceremony is where the magic happens! By honoring our need for deep rest, we here at Universal Movement recognise that the dark moon is one of the most important times of the lunar cycle.
As the dark moons energy and our personal energy levels are their lowest point, this is an opportunity to let go, surrender and reset, allowing us to unwind, relax and take some much need time out for ourselves. If we push ourselves day after day without giving in to rest during the waning and dark moon phase, it can lead to a continuous depletion of our physical and emotional reserves, culminating in exhaustion, particularly as the full moon approaches.
Take a pause and join us in honoring the significance of deep rest with this Yoga Nidra meditation led by Alexe, Universal Movement founder and methodology creator. This ceremony is a unique opportunity for us to rest and replenish while engaging in practices of restorative yoga, Yoga Nidra meditation, and letting-go visualisation techniques, guiding you to release and embrace renewal.
What are the benefits of this Yoga Nidra meditation and how can I link this to Gemini season?
Gemini is the ruler of the nervous system. Yoga Nidra meditation is a deep relaxation and guided meditation practice that activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress, regulating cortisol levels, and promoting overall balance and resilience in the nervous system. ✨
Our relaxation and Yoga Nidra meditations offer a range of benefits for both the body, mind and nervous system including:
✨ Activation of the Parasympathetic Nervous System:
Yoga Nidra meditation offers a range of benefits for the nervous system, contributing to its overall health and functioning. Yoga Nidra meditation also induces a deep state of relaxation, activating the parasympathetic nervous system. This promotes the "rest and digest" response, reducing stress and fostering a calm and balanced nervous system.
✨Stress Reduction:
The practice of Yoga Nidra meditation is known for its stress-reducing effects, helping to alleviate both physical and mental tension. This, in turn, supports a healthier nervous system.
✨ Improved Sleep Quality:
Yoga Nidra meditation is conducive to better sleep quality. By promoting relaxation and reducing stress, it contributes to the optimization of restorative sleep, crucial for nervous system recovery.
✨ Balancing the Sympathetic Nervous System:
Regular practice of Yoga Nidra meditation helps balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the nervous system. This equilibrium is essential for overall well-being and resilience to stress.
✨ Enhanced Emotional Regulation:
Yoga Nidra meditation aids in emotional regulation by creating a space for individuals to observe and process their emotions. This can contribute to a more balanced and resilient nervous system response to emotional stimuli.
✨ Reduction of Cortisol Levels:
The practice of Yoga Nidra has been linked to a reduction in cortisol levels, the stress hormone. Lower cortisol levels indicate a less activated and more regulated nervous system.
✨ Optimization of Brain Function:
Yoga Nidra has been associated with improvements in cognitive function and enhanced clarity of thought, indicating positive effects on the central nervous system.
✨ Calming the Mind and Body:
The guided meditation in Yoga Nidra promotes a deep sense of calm, calming both the mind and the body. This relaxation response positively influences the nervous system.
✨ Neuroplasticity Enhancement:
Regular practice of Yoga Nidra may support neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to reorganize and adapt—potentially contributing to improved nervous system flexibility and resilience.
✨ Decreased Muscle Tension:
The practice often involves progressive muscle relaxation, reducing physical tension and signaling to the nervous system that it is safe to release stress.
✨ Alleviation of Autonomic Imbalances:
By promoting a harmonious balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, Yoga Nidra meditation may help alleviate autonomic imbalances, fostering overall nervous system health.
In summary, the practice of Yoga Nidra meditation offers a comprehensive approach to supporting and optimizing the nervous system, promoting relaxation, stress reduction, and emotional well-being.
What's involved in a dark moon Yoga Nidra meditation?
Our Yoga Nidra online classes are unique to the current moon sign of the dark moon.
At Universal Movement, our classes are thoughtfully curated to resonate with the current energy of the moment. Recognising that each moon sign is intricately connected to distinct internal emotions, we tailor and bespoke approach to offer a distinctive relaxation practice for each moon sign to energy as a collective. This results in a aligned and meaningful experience that encompasses:
🌑 Welcome and Oracle card pull
🌑 The current moon sign insights & the link to body astrology, and associated charka and element.
🌑 Letting go practices - body scan
🌑 Energy work
🌑 Yoga Nidra
🌑 Restorative yoga
🌑 Awakening stretch
What do I need for this dark moon, Yoga Nidra meditation?
🗝️ Quiet Space: Choose a quiet and comfortable space where you won't be disturbed. Ideally, the room should be dimly lit or with the option to darken it.
🗝️ Yoga Mat or Comfortable Surface: Lay down a yoga mat, blanket, or any comfortable surface to lie on. You want to be able to fully relax without any discomfort. You can also do this practice on your bed for the ultimate comfort.
🗝️ Pillow & Blankets: Have a blanket nearby to cover yourself. During a relaxation practice, body temperature can drop, so it's essential to stay warm. Place a pillow under your head or beneath your knees for added comfort. This can help alleviate any strain on your lower back.
🗝️ Eye Pillow or Cloth: If you find it helpful, you can use an eye pillow or a soft cloth to cover your eyes. This helps create a sense of darkness and enhances relaxation.
🗝️ Comfortable Clothing: Wear loose, comfortable clothing to allow for unrestricted movement and a sense of ease for this Yoga Nidraonline class.
We invite you to join us in the ancient tradition of the dark moon practice, where women from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs have gathered for thousands of years. During the dark and new moons, we come together for shared moments of reflection, surrender, renewal, and the beautiful cycle of release and rebirth.
Note: these Yoga Nidra online classes are NOT recorded and are held live on Zoom.
Your Yoga nidra and meditation instructor : Alexe @lunarlexe
Alexe, UM founder who loves to weave her practices together to give you a unique and profound experience. Alexe has over 20 year experience in teaching and was the co-foundered of London Dance Academy many moons ago... Now she blends magical slow flow movement, visualisation techniques and yoga Nidra instructor with her expertise in moonology and body astrology that creates the UM methodology of cyclical and lunar living. 💫
Want to know more about your meditation instructor please click here
Want to know more about Yoga Nidra and its benefits this Gemini season?
What's the link to Gemini?
In body Astrology Gemini is the ruler of the lungs, shoulders, arms and the nervous system. In the astrological sign of Gemini, the qualities of curiosity, adaptability, and intellectual exploration predominate. Gemini is associated with the nervous system, as individuals born under this sign often possess heightened mental agility and a quick, versatile mindset. Incorporating practices that support nervous system health. 💫
Here are some key aspects of the benefits between Yoga Nidra meditation and the nervous system.
The link between Yoga Nidra and the nervous system lies in the profound influence this practice has on the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which is responsible for regulating involuntary bodily functions. The ANS has two main branches: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS).
🗝️ Parasympathetic Dominance:
Yoga Nidra Activation: Yoga Nidra is designed to induce a state of deep relaxation and inner awareness. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system, often referred to as the "rest and digest" system.
Reduction of Stress Response: Parasympathetic activation through Yoga Nidra leads to a decrease in the body's stress response. It results in lowered heart rate, reduced blood pressure, and relaxed muscles, promoting an overall sense of calm.
🗝️Cortisol Regulation:
Impact on Cortisol Levels: Yoga Nidra meditation has been associated with a decrease in cortisol levels, the hormone linked to stress. Lower cortisol levels signify a downregulation of the stress response within the nervous system.
Promotion of Relaxation: By influencing cortisol levels, Yoga Nidra guides the nervous system from a state of heightened alertness (sympathetic dominance) to a state of relaxation (parasympathetic dominance), fostering an equilibrium.
🗝️ Balancing Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Systems:
Harmonizing Activity: Regular practice of Yoga Nidra meditation helps balance the activity of both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. This balance is crucial for adaptive responses to stress and cultivating a more resilient nervous system.
Addressing Autonomic Imbalances: Yoga Nidra's capacity to bring about harmony within the autonomic nervous system supports overall nervous system health, addressing potential imbalances that may contribute to various health issues.
🗝️ Enhanced Neuroplasticity:
Positive Impact on Brain Adaptability: Neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to reorganise and adapt, is positively influenced by the practice of Yoga Nidra. This suggests that the mind's flexibility and adaptability can be enhanced through regular practice.
In summary, Yoga Nidra's influence on the nervous system is marked by its ability to induce parasympathetic dominance, regulate stress hormones, balance sympathetic and parasympathetic activities, and promote neuroplasticity. This comprehensive impact contributes to a healthier, more resilient nervous system and supports overall well-being. ✨
We welcome you to our vision here at Universal Movement, where we align the astrological energy on offer each dark and new moon with the practice of Yoga Nidra meditation. ✨🔮
These Dark moon restorative yoga online class and Yoga Nidra for sleep meditations are also a part of our unique rest rituals to aid you into letting go and surrender during both our the full moon ritual and dark moon ritual, for more details on this please check out our Moonlight rituals.
